An exceptionally high level of humidity in an apartment can make the space uncomfortable. It can make you feel warmer than it actually is and cause you to sweat more.
Thankfully, there are multiple methods of controlling the humidity, even during humid weather. Some methods are more cost-effective than others.
So, this article highlights the different ways to dehumidify an apartment.
Different Ways to Dehumidify an Apartment
In some cases, other sources than the weather may increase the humidity levels in your apartment.
In that case, you must identify them and make the necessary changes accordingly.
Costly but Effective Options for Dehumidifying an Apartment
Here are some options for dehumidifying an apartment that may cost you a bit but are effective.
Use an Air Conditioner
A wall-mounted or window-mounted air conditioning unit can make a significant improvement in humidity levels. In addition to that, it will offer temperature control.
So, you can expect an overall more comfortable environment than without using one. That said, an air conditioning unit is not cheap.
Moreover, it will significantly increase your electricity bill because it draws a lot of power. However, if you plan to stay in your apartment for the long term, it can be a smart investment.
Just be sure to maintain it properly.
Use a Room Dehumidifier
If you’re looking to only change the humidity level and not the temperature, a dehumidifier can be worth it.
These devices are often effective at reducing the humidity in a room in very little time.
Make sure to purchase one that can handle the size of your room or apartment.
Cost-Effective Options for Dehumidifying an Apartment
This section will outline methods of dehumidifying an apartment that will cost you little to nothing.
Here’s what you should know.
Keep Things Dry in Your Home
A simple yet effective method of dehumidifying is to dry things in your apartment. So, after you do the dishes, wipe them down before you rack them.
Also, it may help to wash your dishes by hand instead of the dishwasher.
Dishwashers run for long periods, using a lot of water in the process. Therefore, they may increase humidity in your home.
Keep the wet rag in the sun or have it dry in your laundry room. More sources of water can increase the moisture levels in your home (especially when you don’t have good ventilation in your apartment).
It can also help to ensure that you make it a point to keep the exhausts on in your kitchen exhausts.
In addition to that, keep pots closed while cooking to reduce the amount of steam in your home.
Do the same with the exhausts in the bathrooms after a shower. This way, the bathroom will dry quicker than otherwise and help reduce the humidity.
Moreover, it may also help to take shorter showers. As a result, you’ll be reducing the time your bathroom will be wet, which can reduce moisture and humidity.
It’s also a good idea to leave your bathroom doors open for about half an hour after you shower.
This way, you’ll allow the moisture to dissipate. So, the bathroom will dry quicker than if the door was closed.
It’s also worth mentioning that it can help to dry your laundry outside. Drying some clothes in your home can increase moisture levels in the apartment.
If you don’t have an outdoor space, make sure to ventilate the room where your clothes are drying. Therefore, turn on the fans and open the windows.
The fans will also help with quickening the drying process.
Open Your Windows
If the weather is not humid outside, open the windows in your apartment.
By doing so, you’ll improve air circulation, allowing the less humid air to replace the humid air in your apartment.
However, make sure not to do this step if it’s humid outside. Double-check the weather before doing so.
Another complication with this method arises if you’re using an air-conditioner. Opening the window will change the temperature. So, you won’t be able to open the windows for long.
To get the most air in a short period, you can place a fan right in front of the window. Face the fan to the inside of the apartment.
When you turn the fan on, it will suck air from outside and bring it inside.
Moreover, open multiple windows in your apartment. You’ll get the best results if air can enter the apartment from one end and exit from the other.
The air won’t be able to escape easily through cross ventilation if only one window is open.
Clean Your Carpets and Rugs
If you live in a humid environment, carpets and rugs can hold moisture over time.
Thus, the moisture will get into the air, making the apartment humid on the whole.
You can tell if your carpets or rugs contain moisture by the way they smell and feel. If they feel damp to the touch, then they contain moisture. Also, if they have a moldy smell, then it needs cleaning.
Therefore, take a day to clean your carpets and rugs thoroughly. If some rooms are fully carpeted, you can have them professionally cleaned.
If you live in a rented apartment, then speak to the owner to handle that for you. Clean carpets may improve the overall air quality in your apartment.
This is because it will also remove dust and dust mites that are attracted to carpets full of mold.
Also read: Why is My Apartment so Dusty
Use Your Fans More Often
If you have ceiling fans, make it a point to use them more often. In addition to that, use stand-up fans if you have them.
Oscillating ones can help with dispersing the wind to more areas of the room.
Fans will help push the humid air out of one room to another.
It can further help if you leave the windows open for a short while in your apartment when running the fans. As a result, you’ll push the humid air outside of the apartment.
Make Your Own Dehumidifier
Buying a high-quality dehumidifier can be costly. So, you could create your own dehumidifier with a few simple items.
All you’ll need are barbecue briquettes of coconut shell charcoal. This item is fairly inexpensive, and it can help remove humidity in your room.
So, place some pieces of charcoal in a bucket or bowl in the corner of the room. You could also pick a nice-looking bowl to mask this dehumidifier as a décor item.
The charcoal will eventually absorb the water vapor from the room. Place multiple such bowls around the house for the best results.
Moreover, be sure to change the pieces of charcoal when you feel a rise in the humidity levels again.
You can also create a homemade dehumidifier with rock salt. Choose whichever is more feasible.
Keep Your Plants in an Outdoor Space
If you have multiple indoor plants, they may be contributing to the excessive humidity in your home.
So, it can help to keep some of them in an outdoor space like a balcony if you have one.
Plants release water vapor into the air. So, multiple plants can make your apartment humid, especially the rooms where the plants are.
Of course, make sure that you meet the growing conditions of your plants when you keep them outside.
If you don’t have an outdoor space, consider giving away some of them to a neighbor. You could also consider placing it in a room with better ventilation than the current one.
How to Identify Excessive Humidity
If the weather is not humid, you can tell if your room is humid by how it feels. If you feel warm and sweaty, the room may be more humid than outside.
In addition to that, look for patches of water stains on the walls and ceilings. Condensation on the windows and musty odor may also indicate excessive humidity.
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